Fullmetal Wedding
by Robin Sparrow
Summary: Sequel to Sonika87's fic, Fullmetal Promise. Edward and Winry made a promise to each other, and it's time to make good on that promise. SPOILER WARNING for anyone who hasn't read the end of the manga or watched the end of the anime yet. Complete!
1. Homecoming

Hey everyone! Sorry for the delay in posting this... fall semester kind of took me by surprise ^^; Anyway as promised, here is the first chapter of the new fic... For those of you who don't already know, **this is a sequel **to my dear friend **Sonika87**'s _FMA _fic, _Fullmetal Promise_. If you haven't read hers yet, please do so before reading this!

(Argh, for some foolish reason ffnet will not let me post a proper link to Sonika's story. But I gave you her pen name and the title of her story, so please, go look it up! ^^)

Also, of course, this story (as well as Sonika's) contains **mucho spoilers** if you haven't watched all of the anime (for instance, if you're only watching the dub) or if you haven't read the end of the manga yet. Be ye warned.

After the final chapter of the manga was released Sonika and I talked a lot about the end of _Fullmetal Alchemist_, a conversation which ended with a promise on my part to write a wedding fic. From there, the idea developed into a project between the two of us, a three-part tribute to Arakawa-sensei and her fantastic story, wherein Sonika wrote the first story, I am writing the second, and she will write a third, epilogue-type-thing once I'm done. **I would also like to personally dedicate this story to**: Sonika, for making me write it, Edward Elric, for being one of my heroes, and Vic Mignogna, for giving him a voice, as well as so many other wonderful characters I have come to know and love... and for being so sweet and supportive of fans. You're all amazing!

And now, without further ado... enjoy. :)

**Disclaimer**: I do not own FMA or any of the characters, story, plot, etc. contained therein... much as I'd like to. :P

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**Chapter 1: Homecoming**

_Has it really been a year?_

Edward Elric gazed out the window, watching the landscape blur as it passed the train by. Time was strange these days; though the days he'd spent researching in the west had seemingly flown by, it still felt like forever since he'd gone home to Resembool. Of course, he'd come back for visits since leaving a year ago to study alchemy, but such vacations had been few, far between, and never more than a day or two. For all that he'd thought he'd known about alchemy, it seemed there was still so much to learn.

But his life was no longer ruled by alchemy, and there were other things even more important he had to attend to now. After one long year, it was finally time to go home again, and make good on the promise he and Winry had made to each other.

Ed's cheeks reddened a little at the thought of it.

Luckily, he was more prepared for what would happen next than he'd been when he had first proposed. Back then, he hadn't even thought to buy a ring – though Winry, to her credit, hadn't complained. But this time, he was determined to do things right; he wanted to make Winry as happy as possible. He slid his hand in his pocket, checking one more time to make sure the box with the rings he'd bought before boarding the train was still there.

Of course, Winry wasn't the only one waiting for his return. For the first time since they had parted ways, he and Alphonse were finally going to be reunited. Every time one of the brothers had found a chance to visit Winry and Pinako, the other had always been unable to show. Ed wondered if he was taller than Al yet – and grinned. After all the growing he'd done lately, he _had_ to be.

Ed's height was not all that changed since they'd last seen each other; so much had happened, it was amazing to think it was only a year that had passed. Winry was, if possible, even more of an expert than ever at automail design and repair, and she was now practically running Ateleir Garfiel, having pretty much surpassed the skills of the man she had been apprenticed to. She and Paninya, who thankfully had stayed straight and never went back to pickpocketing, were now the best of friends. Alphonse, meanwhile, seemed to be closer than ever to May, judging by his letters, and Winry had kept in touch with all of them (also becoming good friends with May, and through her, had news of the new Emperor Ling and Lan Fan as well) by letters and phone calls.

Meanwhile, Colonel – no, _General_ Roy Mustang had not only been promoted, he'd been hard at work with his team rebuilding the Ishval region and converting it into a trading point between Amestris and Xing, with help from May and Ling. Ed was amazed at how much they had accomplished; news of the reconstruction and amazing cooperation between the peoples had reached his ears even in the far west, and Al too had heard news of it during his stay in Xing.

It was nice to finally be able to look forward to change again, without fear of the homunculi or the Promised Day looming over their heads.

For a moment, Ed frowned, memories of darker days casting a shadow on his face – but then the Resembool train station came into view, and he broke into a grin once more as the happy faces of the most important people in his life came into view.

Grabbing his stuff quickly, Ed began making his way to the door even before the train had come to a full stop, and when the doors finally opened, he was one of the first to hop down onto the platform. As the crowd from the train pushed past him, he paused and looked around for his welcome party, all the while enjoying the convenience of actually being taller than some of the people around him – it made moments like this that much easier.

Then, suddenly, there they were – he caught a glimpse of blonde hair, gleaming in the sunlight, and turned towards it to see Winry, Al, and May watching the crowd, searching for his face. May leaned over to whisper something to Alphonse, who chuckled, his eyes gleaming, and Winry glanced at them with a knowing look.

For a moment, Ed paused, content simply to see them smile and share a joyful moment with each other; he swore to himself that he'd make sure they'd all have many more such moments to share in the days to come.

Then Winry spotted him, and crying out, she smiled and waved at him enthusiastically – the others, catching sight of him as well, also grinned and waved.

Returning the gesture, Ed made his way over to them quickly, and soon found himself hugging his brother for the first time in what seemed like a lifetime. "Ed!"

"Al! You've grown," Ed observed, frowning slightly. He was not taller than Al as he had expected; they were, if anything, the same height. He wondered if Al was finished growing yet.

"So have you, Brother!" Al exclaimed, shocked at being able to see eye-to-eye with him.

"Nice to see you again, Ed," said May, and Ed nodded and agreed that it was nice to see her as well (all the while smiling to himself – he was still taller than _her_, at least, even if she had grown as well).

"Edward," said Winry, coming forward, and before Ed could say a word she too was hugging him, her arms circling tightly around his neck as his own two human arms wrapped around her waist. "I'm glad you're back," she murmured, drawing back a little to look up at him.

"Yeah, me too," he said, suddenly self-conscious.

Her expression softened, and she leaned in closer…

"Hey, long time no see!" a familiar voice interrupted, shattering the moment quite effectively as Edward jumped.

His eye twitching slightly, Ed released Winry, turning to see that the owner of the voice was none other than Ling, grinning broadly at him as he chewed on a random snack he'd picked up from a food stand nearby. Ed blinked. "What the heck are you doing here?"

"Geez, what kind of a greeting is that? And for one of your own groomsmen, no less!"

Ed's eyes widened. "Groomsmen? What the hell are you talking about?"

"Well, Ed, you did leave all the planning up to me," said Winry, folding her arms. "And we needed one more man to walk the bridesmaid down the aisle, so…"

"So she asked me to be your groomsman! Too bad you don't have more friends, or you could have asked one of them instead! But as it is, looks like you're stuck with me!"

Ed gritted his teeth. Some things never changed, even when a change might have been welcome (at least in Ed's opinion). "But aren't you an emperor now? Shouldn't you be in Xing, watching over your country or something?"

Ling waved that off with an unconcerned flick of his wrist. "Nah, I left one of the princes in charge for now, just until I come back. Being the emperor is great and all, but sometimes it just gets kind of suffocating, you know? It's fun to be out and about on the streets again like a regular commoner." He took another bite of his snack, a candied apple which crunched noisily in his mouth as he chewed.

"What about your guards? Won't they be looking for you?"

"No need; I've got someone watching my back." He glanced up, and the others followed his gaze to see, peering down from the rafters of the train station was the familiar masked face of Lan Fan, as protectively watchful as ever. Though not much one for hellos or goodbyes, she nodded a greeting to them all before returning her attention to scanning their surroundings for any signs of danger or trouble.

"She's not going to wear that at the wedding too, is she?" May remarked, unable to picture the super-serious Lan Fan in a dress and heels.

Ling grinned mischievously. "Not if I have anything to do with it! Oh – which reminds me…" He turned to Ed and said cheerfully, "There's gonna be a party later tonight for you – don't be late!"

"Party?" Ed was about to wring Ling's neck – wisely, the young emperor stayed well out of arm's reach. "What are you going on about now?"

"Nothing, just a little get-together orchestrated by yours truly – just a bit of fun before the big day, nothing big, don't worry! You'll have a great time, I promise!"

"Ling!" Ed started, but Ling was already trotting off back towards town, with Lan Fan carefully shadowing him from a distance. "Get back here! What are you talking about?"

"Sorry Ed," said Al, rubbing the back of his neck. "Ling insisted we let him take care of the preparations. Winry and Granny's house is too small, so he rented out the festival grounds for tonight."

"Guess you invited a lot of people, then," said May thoughtfully to Winry. "Thank goodness our party is small enough that we can have it at your place."

"Well, maybe I did kind of go overboard with the invitations," Winry said, looking vaguely sheepish. "But I figured the more the merrier, right?"

"Well, it will be nice to see everyone before the wedding," Al mused.

Edward stared at them all, bewildered. Was everyone in on this except him? "What party? What are you talking about? What's happening tonight?"

The other three stared back at him as though they had temporarily forgotten he was there. Al, realizing Ed honestly didn't get it yet, finally said, "It's your bachelor party, Ed."


	2. Revelry

First of all, thank you so much to everyone who read, favorited, etc., this story already! The mass flood of emails from ffnet was a slightly overwhelming, yet fantastic, surprise. I hope I can live up to all of your expectations! I'll do my best to work around college and finish chapter 3 soon... in the meantime, enjoy this chapter, which (if this helps at all) is much longer than the first! :D

Also, someone who reviewed asked what a bachelor party was. Hopefully you got an answer already, but if not, the short answer is that it is a party for a man held just before his wedding as a kind of last taste of single, bachelor-life fun before marriage... a longer version of an answer would be to just read this chapter, which is all about Ed's bachelor party and Winry's bachelorette party. :3

**EDIT**: Reviewer **SoinyMariaRose** pointed out that I mixed up Heinkel and Darius ("Lion King" and "Donkey Kong") with those other two chimera dudes (whose names I don't recall at the moment) who wanted their bodies back... so now instead of Ed asking them about how the search to return to normal is going, he just asks how they are. Even though the four of them are pretty interchangeable to me, it's good not to have errors... So I fixed it. :)

**Disclaimer**: As always, I own nothing except my own mischievous mind, and my undying gratitude to Ling for making this chapter so much fun to write. :D

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**Chapter 2: Revelry  
**

"Al, remind me how I got talked into this again?" Edward grumbled, reaching up surreptitiously in an attempt to remove the blindfold. Ling had insisted he put it on before they went to the bachelor party.

Ling reached over and slapped at his hand. "Ah ah ah, no peeking till we get there!"

Ed growled, but Ling did not seem threatened by it in the least.

"You didn't really have much of a choice, Ed," Al said matter-of-factly. "After all, it is _your_ party."

"It's not like I planned it, you know!" Ed shot back. "I didn't even know about all this till this afternoon!"

"You know, you might show a little gratitude," Ling remarked. "After all, I put a lot of work into this!"

"Gratitude?" Ed exclaimed. "I'll show you…!" But when Ling suddenly yanked off the blindfold, Ed's words trailed off as his eyes adjusted to the scene before him.

The field which had been rented out for the party was covered by the canopy of a huge tent, which was strung up with hundreds of tiny, bright white Christmas lights. On both the right and left sides of the covered space beneath the tent, long tables were set for dinner, complete with plates and dishes heaped with enough delicious-looking food to feed an army, and on the far side of the tent a bar had been set up, at which a handful of pretty barmaids were serving drinks – to their left, a band played. The center, of course, had been left wide open for dancing and cavorting and anything else that might come to mind during the course of the party.

But it was not the decorations, nor the bar, nor the food, that had arrested Ed's attention – it was the guests themselves. Edward could hardly believe his eyes as he stared at what seemed like a hundred familiar faces, all brought together again – all for him. The members of the military were the easiest to spot in their blue uniforms; Roy Mustang, Alex Louis Armstrong, Heymans Breda, Veto Falman, Kain Fuery, Denny Brosch, and yes, even Jean Havoc, who was still getting the hang of his newly recovered walking abilities, was present. Darius, Heinkel, Jerso, and Zampano were also there, and even Mason had managed to escape Izumi's tyranny and show up. As if that weren't enough, numerous other old friends from Resembool had also shown up, as well as a few new friends he'd made in the west – no doubt they'd been invited thanks to Winry.

For a moment, Ed could do little more than gape.

"Didn't know you had this many friends, didya?" Ling grinned.

"What do you say, Brother?" Al said pointedly, hoping Ed would get the hint and thank Ling.

"I… can't believe it," Ed said slowly. "Wow…"

Just then, Armstrong happened to glance over and catch sight of the trio. "EDWARD ELRIC! YOU FINALLY MADE IT!" he bellowed, loud enough that everyone at the party (and most likely everyone within a mile of the party as well) heard and turned to see Ed standing with the others, wide-eyed and slack-jawed with awe. At the sound of Armstrong's voice calling his name, however, he winced, bracing himself for the inevitable.

"Hey, Edward, long time no see!" said Mason.

"About time you showed up, Fullmetal," Roy remarked with a smirk; Ed narrowed his eyes at him, and opened his mouth for a snappy retort, only to be cut off by Armstrong.

"LOOK AT HOW YOU'VE GROWN!" the big man cried as Ed drew closer to the crowd (due to Al and Ling pushing him forward). "Why, it seems just yesterday you were little taller than a child – and now look at you, you're practically a man!"

Ed grit his teeth. "Practically?"

"Yeah, Ed, you're a lot taller than I remember!" Havoc said, grinning around his trademark cigarette as he leaned on a cane (he could walk, thanks to Marcoh, but it would be a while yet before he was fully healed). "Guess a lot has changed since then, huh?"

Distracted from his anger for the moment, Ed nodded. "It sure has." He glanced at the four chimera men. "How about you guys? Lion King, Donkey Kong, how've ya been?"

Darius gave him a look. "Well enough. But didn't we tell you to stop calling us that?"

"Yeah, whatever." Ed turned to the other guests, and proceeded to exchange so many more hellos that by the time he was done greeting people, he was already more than ready to leave. Of course, Ling would have none of that.

"Now that that's out of the way," Ling said as soon as the formalities were done with, "it's time for the real fun to begin."

"You didn't happen to hire strippers, did you?" asked Havoc hopefully.

Ling cast a dark look at Al, who explained, "He tried to, but I told him Winry would beat him with a wrench if she found out." Ed exhaled in relief, and nodded his thanks to Al, who smiled at his brother reassuringly.

Havoc sighed, he and more than a few of the others looking slightly disappointed.

"Anyway, that's not the fun I was referring to," said Ling, recovering quickly. "I was talking about the _food_. Let's eat – I'm starving! Oh, and waitress," he called out, "bring us a round of drinks for the wedding party!"

Al's eyes widened. "N-no, that's all right, thanks, I'll just have water!"

Ed stared at him, then at the bar. "They're serving _alcohol_ here?"

"Sure, why not?" Ling asked, around a mouthful of food. "This is a _party_, after all."

"Because we're still underage, that's why not!"

Ling waved his hand dismissively. "Those laws don't apply on the day of your bachelor party. Same with your wedding."

"I don't think that's how it works," said Al pointedly.

"Aw, come on, Edward," said Breda, sitting just a little farther down the table from them. "You're almost old enough anyway. It's not like any of us is gonna report you or anything."

Ed squirmed. "What is this, peer pressure?"

"Leave the kid alone," said Roy, sitting across from Breda with a challenging gleam in his eye as he glanced at Ed. "He probably couldn't take more than a glass or two anyway."

Al sighed, knowing what was coming next.

Ed glared daggers at Roy, and took the drink the waitress offered him without a second thought. "Yeah right, Colonel! I bet I can take more than you can!"

The corner of Roy's mouth twitched up as he raised his own glass. "It's General now, remember? And don't say I didn't warn you, kid."

Meanwhile, Winry was enjoying a much less raucous party of her own. Planned out mostly by Paninya (with some help from Granny – who was now sound asleep upstairs – and May), the guests also included Riza Hawkeye, Maria Ross, and Gracia and Elicia Hughes, the latter of whom had instantly attached herself to Winry's side the second she'd arrived (not that Winry really minded).

Aside from these, numerous friends from Rush Valley had also shown up – to Winry's absolute delight, Paninya revealed that the party was automail-themed, and the guests had brought all of the latest designs with them to show off for Winry. Upon finding this out, the blonde gearhead had squealed and all but jumped on her friend, overjoyed. "Eeee! Thank you, Paninya, thank you so much! This is gonna be the best party ever!"

"Heh, you're welcome!" said Paninya, choking a little as Winry got carried away with herself. "Uh, Winry… can't breathe…"

"Oh, sorry." Letting go of Paninya, she turned to hug May as well, knowing she too had helped out with the preparations. "Thank you too, May. This whole thing really means a lot to me. I know you've been busy, helping Al study alkahestry and stuff…"

"Well, Paninya did do most of the planning," May admitted. "I just helped out here and there."

Like Ed's bachelor party, Winry's bachelorette party was also stripper-less – not that Winry minded, or cared; she was much too busy gushing over all the wonderful new automail models and gathering news about her beloved Rush Valley to think of anything else.

The only male guest present, in fact, was Garfiel, who was thrilled to see his darling apprentice again. "Winry, it's wonderful to see you! How are you doing? How is your grandmother? We've missed you so much back at the shop!"

Winry beamed, pleased as always to hear her work was appreciated and her presence was missed. It was a good feeling to be needed. "Sorry, Mr. Garfiel, but I had to make sure I came home before Ed got here."

"Oh, don't apologize, it's all right! It's your big day coming up, after all! Honey, I'm so happy for you!" He hugged her again, and though Winry blushed a little at his making such a big deal out of it, she also felt a thrill of anticipation run through her system at his words. _The big day… just a few days from now. I can't believe it's almost here! _Nervousness and joy filled her in equal parts; in less than a week, she would no longer be just Winry Rockbell… she would be Mrs. Edward Elric.

It was still hard sometimes to believe it wasn't a dream; now and then, she had to pinch herself, just to make sure.

"Ed, you're going to regret this later, you know," said Al, more vexed now than worried as he watched his brother down yet another glass of beer.

"I'm perfectly fine! I feel great! Never better!" Ed slurred, swaying dangerously in his chair. "Don't worry about me, Al… I'll show this guy yet!"

"Don't push yourself too hard there, kid," said Roy, his own eyes starting to glaze over a bit. "A shrimp like you…"

"WHO'RE YOU CALLING A SHRIMP SO SMALL HE'S ONLY VISIBLE ON THE ATOMIC LEVEL?" Ed shouted at the top of his lungs. "In case you haven't noticed, I'VE GROWN! I'll bet I'm even taller than you now!"

Ling laughed uproariously, nearly tipping over in his chair. "You can't be serious!"

"Oh yeah? Stand up and prove it!" Ed snapped at Roy, as though he had been the one laughing instead. Furious, Ed pushed himself out of the chair and onto his feet.

"Careful, Brother!" Al stood up quickly and caught his brother's arm before he fell flat on his face.

Ed nodded. "Thanks, Al. But I'm fine." He pulled away from Al and stared down at Roy. "Well, Mustang?"

Rolling his eyes, Roy stood and walked (or, rather, stumbled) around the table, looking smug as he went over to stand in front of Ed, looking forward to the satisfaction of looking down his nose at him.

Both men straightened their backs, and in that moment, time seemed to stop.

Denny gasped. "Sir… he's… he's…"

Havoc's cigarette fell from his lips as his jaw nearly hit the floor. "General… he's taller than you are!"

Roy and Ed stared at each other for a long moment with round eyes full of disbelief. Then, suddenly: "WHO'S THE SHRIMP NOW, YOU STUCK-UP GENERAL WITH A GOD COMPLEX?"

"Oh great. He won't be letting _this_ go anytime soon." Al shook his head, folding his arms and watching as his brother drunkenly careened around the place, telling everyone (and everything) in sight about how much taller than Roy he was, increasing the amount he'd grown with every telling.

Meanwhile, Roy was flat on the floor, looking for all the world as though he had died. A few of his comrades were huddled around him, in various states of concern and/or amusement. "Sir? Sir, are you all right?" asked Fuery nervously.

"Ehhh." Roy groaned, looking sick in both his heart and his stomach. "Did that really happen just now?"

"I'm afraid it did, sir," said Falman. "It looks like Edward had a significant growth spurt since we last saw him. It's not uncommon in a boy his age."

"You should've seen the look on your face," laughed Havoc.

Roy sat up and groaned again, regretting both the face-off and the drinking. "Havoc, when you come back out of retirement, I'm demoting you for that."

Havoc struggled to keep a straight face – and failed miserably. "Whatever you say, General."

"So, having a good time?"

Winry grinned dreamily, her eyes starry and her voice still full of wonder at of all the beautiful automail in the room as she said, "Yes… the best!"

Hawkeye smiled. "Good. I'm glad."

Winry blinked, and for the first time turned to really look at Riza. Though she was out of her blue uniform, she still managed to look military even in a shirt and a pair of pants – and Winry could tell that, though she'd had the courtesy to conceal it well, she still had her gun strapped to her belt in case of an emergency. She was smiling, yes, but she looked slightly uncomfortable, as though she had somewhere else she needed to be. "Riza, you know, you don't have to stay here. If you'd rather be at Ed's party, I'd understand."

Hawkeye raised her eyebrows. "Why would I?"

Winry gave her a knowing look. "Isn't there someone there you need to protect?"

Riza blinked, surprised that Winry remembered her words from so long ago. "I'm fine here. It _is_ a bachelor party, after all – no women from the bachelorette party allowed. Besides, he can take care of himself." She paused, her eyebrows drawing together slightly. "At least, I would like to think so."

Winry nodded. "Of course he can." She paused, and glanced sideways at Hawkeye as something occurred to her. "Hey, I was just wondering… How come he never…" She hesitated, her cheeks turning pink as her resolve wavered. "You and him… the two of you… how come… uh, that is…"

Hawkeye looked at her, waiting patiently. "Yes?"

Winry opened her mouth – then closed it again, her shoulders slumping in defeat as she looked away, too embarrassed to finish the question. "Never mind."

"So? Am I good, or what?" Paninya beamed proudly as she flopped down on the other side of Winry on the couch. "I knew an automail party was a good idea, I just knew it."

"You know me well, all right," Winry laughed. "Thanks again, Paninya!"

"Hey, what are best friends for?" she said, punching Winry lightly on the arm. Leaning back, she slung her arms across the back of the couch and crossed her legs, surveying the results of her hard work with pleasure. "I still can't believe you're marrying that runt," she teased. "What the heck do you see in him, anyway?"

Winry thought of all the stupid, reckless things he'd said and done in the past (for instance, all the times he'd damaged his automail arm), and rolled her eyes. "I wonder that myself sometimes. Although he's not a runt anymore, you know. He grew." Despite herself, she couldn't help but look pleased.

"Really?" Paninya laughed. "This I gotta see."

"Seriously, though… he's a lot more mature than when you last saw him. He really has grown up. Well, mostly, anyway." Winry was gazing off now at nothing in particular, no longer seeing the party around her but rather the face of the man she had given her life to – not because of equivalent exchange, but because of love. "You know, it's funny… for a long time, I thought of him as childish, still just a kid – I guess it's cause we've known each other _since_ we were kids." She shook her head slightly. "I still can't remember when I started to realize he wasn't a kid… not anymore."

"He certainly hasn't been treated as one in a long time," said Hawkeye quietly.

"He didn't want to be. Ed always did want to grow up faster, even when we were little."

"Especially in the literal sense!" Paninya snickered; Winry laughed at that, and even Hawkeye seemed amused.

"You hired dancing girls?"

Ling grinned at Al. "Well, you wouldn't let me hire strippers, so this was the next best thing!"

"Thank you… thank you so much…" Havoc said, looking as though he might cry tears of joy as the women moved and flowed to the beat of the music the band dished out for them.

"If Winry ever found out…"

"Relax! It's not like anyone here's gonna run and tell on us. Just sit back, grab a drink, and enjoy."

"I already told you, I'm not drinking! At least one person here needs to be sober by the end of the night. Someone's gonna have to make sure Ed gets home all right," he said, looking around. "Where is Ed, anyway?"

"I think he's over here," called Heinkel, nudging a limp blonde figure on the ground beside one of the tables. "He's out cold!"

"I warned him alcohol was a bad idea," said Roy, who, while conscious, did not look much better than passed out Ed.

"Are you kidding me? General, you're the one who got him drunk in the first place!" Al exclaimed.

"Don't blame this on _me_," Roy drawled. "It's not like I _made_ him drink it. It's not my fault he thinks he has to prove everything I say wrong."

Al shook his head. "But you knew that would happen…"

"Hey, now that he's passed out, I have an idea!" interjected Ling cheerfully.

Breda, always ready to be included in a prank, was instantly intrigued. "What're you gonna do?"

"Me? Oh no, this is a group activity, you'll all enjoy it! Here, help me prop him up in a chair." With Breda's help, Ed was roughly picked up from the ground and shoved into a chair, where he was pushed up into a slumped over sort of seated position.

Al frowned, clearly concerned. "Ling, what are you…"

"Lan Fan?" said Ling, apparently to the air. Suddenly, Lan Fan miraculously appeared, as if out of nowhere, making the others jump a little.

"Yes, young lord?"

Ling regarded her seriously for a moment. "You don't happen to have any make up with you, do you?"

Lan Fan gave him a level look. Her silence said it all.

"Ah, well, it was worth a try." As Lan Fan sulked back into invisibility, Ling turned to a nearby guest – Mason, who was standing near one of the tables that still had food on it. "Okay. You there, hand me some of that food over there. Oh yes, the mashed potatoes, nice choice." Dipping his finger into the food, he scooped out some of the mashed potatoes and began smearing it onto Ed's face, creating a long, curling villain-moustache with the food. "When all else fails, improvise!"

Al looked horrified. "Ling, what are you doing? Don't do that!"

The others, laughing, began to join in. Roy, of course, was first among the volunteers, his obvious revelry in this act of revenge almost a bit frightening in its intensity.

"Relax, Al!" said Ling. "Think of this as a lesson to your brother not to drink!"

"Ed's gonna kill you when he wakes up…"

"Nah. He'll be too preoccupied with the hangover." Ling grinned.

"It's too bad Hughes isn't here to see…" Havoc stopped himself midsentence, and the smiles faded from everyone's faces for a moment as they all glanced at Roy. Even Ed, who was still very much unconscious, seemed to look troubled.

Roy was silent for a moment; though it had been years now, Hughes had been his closest friend. Some wounds never fully healed, even with time. But at length he smiled again. "Yeah, Hughes would have had a blast tonight. I can just hear that idiot now – 'Roy, how is it that _Ed_ managed to get married before YOU did? What's up with that? I keep telling you, you should settle down and find yourself a good wife!'"

The others laughed. "And of course he'd've brought tons of pictures of Elicia and Gracia to show off," Breda added. "That man must've spent a fortune developing all that film!"

"Was he a good friend of yours, this guy Hughes?" asked Ling, as he dipped his finger in some cranberry juice.

Roy nodded. "The best."

The bachelorette party ended long before the guests at Ed's party were ready to call it quits. Winry, determined to wait up until Ed and Al came home, eventually fell asleep at the kitchen table, her head resting on her crossed arms. It was not until far past midnight that she was finally woken by the sound of the front door opening and closing behind someone.

Rubbing at her bleary eyes, she rose and plodded into the living room, just in time to see Al struggling to support a limp-looking Ed long enough to get him to the couch.

"Welcome back," she mumbled; Al jumped, nearly dropping Ed on the ground in his surprise.

"Oh – h-hey, Winry. What're you doing up?"

"Waiting for you two, of course!" She frowned. "What's wrong with Ed?"

"Uh…" Al winced. "Well, he kind of had a couple of drinks…"

Winry frowned. "You mean he's drunk?" she said flatly.

"Well, no – that is, he WAS drunk… now he's… passed out…" He grimaced, realizing he was only making things worse by trying to explain.

Winry smacked a hand to her forehead, exasperated. "That idiot… Well, he'll pay for it in the morning, that's for sure." Walking over, she helped Al lay his brother down on the sofa, squinting at his face in the dark. "Al… what's wrong with his face?"

Al's eyes widened. "Uh… well…"

Leaning closer, she stared until at length she began to discern the results of Ling's mischief. "Is that… _food_?" His cheeks were smeared haphazardly with pink icing, his eyelids coated with dried filling from a blueberry pie, and his lips were still a sticky red from the cranberry juice. His mashed potato mustache, though a bit messed up, was still generally intact.

In other words, he was a complete disaster.

"What did you guys do to him? What kind of party WAS this?" Winry snapped, glaring at Al, who she had counted on to keep an eye on things for her.

Al spread his hands helplessly, not knowing what he should say, when Ed suddenly shifted a little in his sleep, licking some of the cranberry off of his lips, as well as a bit of potato. "Mmm… tastes good… Winry…" he muttered, then his head lolled sideways as he fell back into deeper sleep.

For a moment, Winry and Al simply stared – then, both burst out laughing.

"Well, the pie you made earlier _was_ good," Al said when he could speak again, referring to an apple pie she had baked that morning specifically to celebrate Ed's return.

"Thanks, Al. Elicia and Mrs. Hughes thought so too." A wistful look came and went in her eyes as she thought back to the day Gracia had given her the recipe.

"Should we clean him up?" Al looked down at his brother, who once again was sleeping with his stomach exposed. He reached over automatically to pull Ed's shirt down, rolling his eyes good-naturedly.

Winry snorted. "Nah. Let him clean it up himself in the morning. It's his own fault for getting drunk in the first place."

Al nodded, knowing better than to argue, and headed up the stairs for his room. "Good night, Winry."

"Night, Al." After he was gone, she paused for a minute, watching Ed sleep. Even looking as ridiculous as he did then, she still felt that certain warmth in her heart she always felt when she looked at him, as if everything would always be all right, as long as he was around. Kneeling down beside him, she reached out and took his right hand, still amazed after all his time that he had finally gotten it back. Though she missed doing the repairs on his arm, she was happy that he had gained so much after having given so much in return – and it was nice, being able to hold either hand and feel warm, living flesh, rather than the cold hardness of an automail fist. "Night, Ed," she whispered, and started to get up.

His hand tightened around hers for an instant, and she paused. In his sleep he mumbled, "Night… Winry…"

For Winry, that moment was the absolute highlight of her day, even including the automail party. It was the little things – like the earrings he had given her, or the way his eyes lit up when he'd spotted her at the train station – that made all of their big sacrifices over the years worth it.

Ed and Al were right, she realized. Equivalent exchange was not the absolute truth – there was something else, another truth behind the truth. There _had_ to be… because, even after all she had lost, she couldn't help but think that in the end, she had been given back so much more.


	3. Growth

Hey y'all, as promised, here is chapter tres of FMW. Hope it was worth the wait! ;)

**Disclaimer**: Blah blah blah I own nothing blah blah blah.

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**Chapter 3: Growth**

The first thing he noticed was the unbelievably agonizing pain. It was like nothing he had ever felt before; a mixture of a brain freeze, migraine, and a rusty iron spike shoved through his temples, all rolled into one, and multiplied by at least ten.

He wanted to ask what he'd done to deserve this, if he would live, or if he had died and was already in hell, but all that came out was a pitiful, "Unnhhh…"

"Oh look, I think Ed's finally decided to join us," said Pinako's voice. She sounded a thousand miles away, and yet, her voice was still way too loud.

"Noise... bad…" Ed mumbled, curling into a fetal position and covering his head with his arms.

"How do you feel, Brother?" he heard Al ask. The question was genuine enough, but Ed thought he detected a hint of amusement as well in his little brother's voice. Too miserable to retaliate, Ed managed only a low groan in reply.

"Serves you right," remarked Winry, without pity. "You can't expect to get _that_ drunk and not pay for it with a hangover in the morning." Her voice went flat, and he could not tell if she was trying not to laugh, or trying not to snap at him. "Oh, and you might want to wash your face off, Ed. You've got something on it."

He frowned, pulling his arms away and cracking an eye open, confused by the stains left on his arm from his face. Barely understanding why, he rolled off the couch and half-crawled, half-stumbled to the bathroom, motivated more by the desire for medication rather than curiosity about his face.

After downing a double-dose of headache medicine, he stood at the sink for a few moments, content simply to stand still in a quiet space, away from voices and sunlight. When he finally looked up into the mirror, however, he momentarily forgot his pain as he gaped at the image before him.

"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO MY FACE?" the others heard him scream in the bathroom. This was followed by a loud moan, as the volume of Ed's own voice sent spikes of pain shooting through his brain.

Al's eyes widened, and Pinako and Winry smirked. "I guess he finally noticed," Winry remarked.

Back in the bathroom, Ed was bent over the sink, working furiously to rinse the caked remains of food from the night before off his face. As he worked, his mind raced to recover memories of what had happened, trying to find an explanation. Details came back, slowly but surely – Ling, removing the blindfold to reveal the guests… Havoc, up on his feet again… Al telling him not to drink (in retrospect, perhaps he should have listened)… Roy's face blurring before him as the alcohol made its way through his system… then, nothing.

_I must have passed out,_ he thought, and realized it must have been then that his face had been vandalized. But who… He stopped himself before he asked a stupid question. Who else would have come up with such an idiotic idea? "LING, YOU BASTARD!"

"Ed, shut up and finish washing your face!" snapped Winry from the other side of the door, while Ed clutched his head, having forgotten once again that yelling was a bad idea for the time being. "I still need to do a few more checkups on your leg, don't forget!"

Sighing, Ed shut the water off and dried his face. As recollections of the bachelor party continued to come back to him, he smiled. Despite the hangover, it had actually been pretty fun, and it was good to see everyone again. And hadn't something really good happened? He remembered bragging about something to the others, but what was it?

Then, finally, it came back to him – Roy, calling him a shrimp; Roy's face as they stood face-to-face, and for the first time… Ed had actually looked _down_ at him. After years of being called "shrimp" he was finally taller than the Colonel… Roy would never be able to call him stupid nicknames again!

Ed emerged from the bathroom in much better spirits than he had gone in with, cackling to himself over his victory against Roy Mustang. The others traded wary glances. "Ed, are you feeling all right?" Pinako asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm great!" He beamed, all traces of his former affliction seeming to have vanished completely. "It's beautiful outside, there's an apple pie on the table, and I'm taller than Roy Mustang. Yep, it's gonna be a good day!"

"We should have known," Al sighed.

"Come on, Ed," Winry said, rolling her eyes (though, secretly, she was a bit pleased for him). "Let's go take care of that leg of yours."

They talked as Winry set Ed up and began working on his leg. "You know, Al says it was only about an inch or so."

"I don't care," Ed replied, sticking his tongue out. "Taller is taller – I still win."

"I thought you'd gotten over that already." Winry shook her head as she tightened a screw near his ankle. "I guess _some_ people never grow up."

"I _did_ grow-!"

"I MEANT mentally!" Winry snapped, cutting him off swiftly before he could start ranting. "Geez, Ed. Are you _ever_ going to let that go? Who cares who's taller anyway?"

Surprisingly, Ed didn't snap back at her. Instead, he sort of fumbled, spitting out a few syllables and then looking away, red in the face and unaccountably flustered.

Winry raised an eyebrow at him. "What is it?"

"Nothing." Ed folded his arms and did his best to appear casual. Winry wondered why he bothered; he never fooled anyone.

"Ed, come on. You know I hate it when you shut me out. What's bothering you now?"

"It's nothing! I just… like being tall. It's a nice change, all right?"

Winry shot him a dark glance and went back to work on his leg, slightly less gently than before. He winced as she tightened another screw rather brutally.

After a few minutes of enduring the silent treatment, Ed sighed. "You remember when I asked you to marry me?"

She looked up at him blankly, as though she couldn't believe he had asked such a stupid question.

Ed rolled his eyes. "I mean the FIRST time! When we were kids, and Al and I both proposed to you. Remember?"

She blinked. "Oh. Yeah, I remember." She smiled to herself, thinking back on how cute the Elric brothers had been when they were small. "I turned you down, right?"

Ed shifted uncomfortably. "Yes, Winry. D'you remember what you said your reason was?"

Winry chuckled. "Because I was taller than you guys back then, and I said I would never marry—" She stopped midsentence, his purpose in bringing up the story finally hitting home. "Oh." She frowned at him. "Edward, we were little kids. I probably still thought you had cooties then, too."

He blinked. "You thought we had cooties?"

"Ed…"

"Are you finished yet?" he asked abruptly.

She looked down, realizing she had finished the basic maintenance already. She'd done it so many times, she could probably have done it in her sleep. "Sort of. I mean, there's always upgrades I could try…"

"Nah, not today, anyway." Getting up, he moved away from her towards the door. There, he paused, and tested out the joints of his leg. "Thanks, Winry," he said, smiling at her over his shoulder. "Feels good."

"It would feel better if you'd let me work on it some more," Winry muttered, but he was already gone.

It wasn't as though Winry's childhood announcement that she would never marry a man shorter than her was the only reason Ed hated being short, but it hadn't helped, either. Being short had always felt like a physical statement that he wasn't good enough – a constant reminder through the years that, in most people's eyes, he was still just a kid, though he'd hardly felt like it. He'd had to look up at people and watch them look down on him, and it was a thorn in his side that was still being worked free. It was only sometimes, and it was only a little, but now and then he couldn't help but wonder why Winry had said yes to his proposal, and if he truly was deserving of it after all.

But he didn't let it get to him. Not most of the time, anyway. _Life's too short, after all_, he thought to himself – and tried not to wince at the poor choice of words.

The rest of the day passed strangely normally; though nothing seemed special about it, a certain sort of glow hung about the house, an echo perhaps of the joyous occasion that would be taking place the following day. Winry and Pinako checked a thousand times to make sure everything and everyone was accounted for; the guests were all in town, the reservations were all doubly confirmed, the bride's dress (which she had bought before Ed's arrival with the help of Paninya and May) was still wrinkle-free and white as snow, and all the countless little things that added up to a perfect day were as set as they would ever be.

Ed helped out somewhat, but having left the majority of the planning to Winry, found himself generally at a loss for what to do with himself, and soon became restless. Al did his best to distract his brother, going over the procedures for the next day with him, checking that their suits still fit and needed no last-minute adjustments, and anything else that came to mind.

When dinner time came around at last, Pinako sent Edward out to fetch Winry, who had gone outside somewhere. After checking around the house to no avail, Ed came back to Pinako empty-handed, having not a clue as to where his fiancée had gone off to.

"Well, Edward," said Pinako. "The girl's getting married tomorrow, but two of the most important people in her life won't be there. Where do _you_ think she's gone?"

Of course. Ed wondered at his own obliviousness as he headed out again in search of Winry. He, too, had thought of his parents often in the past few days, wishing his mother was still around to give advice and share in the festivities. Even Hohenheim might have been a welcome face at the wedding – if only for Trisha's and Al's pleasure.

But they were gone, just as the Rockbells were, and nothing would ever change that.

He found Winry kneeling before the graves of her parents, her eyes shining but her face dry; if she had been crying, she was done now. Instead, she was speaking in low tones; pausing behind her, Ed could just barely make out the words. "… don't worry, Mom. I'm sure I'll cry enough tomorrow for the both of us. But they'll be happy tears, I promise. Dad… Dad, I wish you could be there to give me away…" She faltered for a moment, but after taking a deep breath, continued, "But you'll be watching anyway, won't you? That's good enough, I guess."

"Winry? You all right?" Ed asked quietly when she fell silent.

She started, and turned to him as she got to her feet. She smiled at him. "I'm good. Dinner's ready, right? I'm coming right now." She glanced down again at the graves, and under her breath, she said, "Bye, Mom. Bye, Dad. Wish me luck." She shot a wry look at Edward. "I think I'll need it."

He made a face at her, but she only smiled and walked past him, heading for the house.

"You coming, Ed?" she called over her shoulder when he hestitated.

"Yeah," he said, but barely took two steps before looking back at the graveyard. "I'll catch up in a minute!" he called after her, and turning back, made his way through the headstones to find his own parents' graves.

Winry saw him go, and nearly followed – but thinking better of it, figuring he would rather be alone, she continued on her own. If he took too long, she would send Al after him.

Ed stood before Trisha's and Hohenheim's graves, not quite sure how to feel. He still missed his mother – he always would – and wished for the thousandth time he could see her smile again. But the pain was a dull pain, something he knew how to bear, and in his heart he hoped, somehow, she could sense the joy he felt too – and hoped like hell she was proud of him.

As for his father… he still had mixed feelings. He couldn't quite forgive Hohenheim for leaving him and Al, but Trisha had loved him so… surely there must have been something worth loving there. And after all he had done to help save all of Amestris – after all he had done to save his _sons_ – Ed could not quite hate him, either. He wasn't sure if he missed him, but he knew Al would. Ed wished for his brother's sake, at least, that he could turn back time, do something different so that his father would not have had to give so much to keep him alive…

No. Thoughts like that never got anyone anywhere; he had learned that lesson well enough in the past not to repeat his mistakes. But…

_Mom._ She would have loved to have been at his wedding, just as she would have loved that he was marrying Winry, of all people. No doubt she would have been reminiscing over an endless supply of embarrassing childhood stories starring the two of them, memories Ed would frankly prefer to not be shared. And Ling would have laughed his head off and teased Ed for the rest of the day, while May would tease Al, who would secretly be pleased even as he blushed, and Trisha would have smiled to see her sons so happy…

Ed swallowed hard. It was a beautiful vision, but it was little more than a mirage. Still… _Mom, wherever you are, I hope you're smiling. And Hohen—Dad, _he corrected himself, because Trisha would have wanted him to, _I hope you're with her, and that you're happy together, somewhere._

"Ed?"

Ed half-turned to see Al standing a yard or two behind him, watching his older brother with a solemn expression. Ed sighed. "Guess that was more than a minute, huh? I'm surprised you guys didn't just go ahead and eat without me."

"You know better than that, Ed. Winry would have a fit if you missed dinner." Al glanced past him at the headstones. "How are they?"

"Huh?"

"Mom and Dad. How are they? You've been talking to them this whole time, right?" Al smiled at his brother. "Didn't they answer?"

"Nah. I was just thinking. Even if I did say something, they couldn't have heard it anyway."

"Maybe. Maybe not. Either way, I'm sure they're happy for you." Al's smile widened. "I am."

Ed grinned. "That makes two of us."

"Come on, Ed. Let's go back to the house and eat, before the food gets cold." As Ed followed his brother back towards the house, Al sent him a questioning look. "By the way, are you gonna let me read over your vows before tomorrow?"

Ed adopted a look of bewilderment. "Vows? What vows?"

Al stared at him. "Your _wedding_ vows? You know, the stuff you're going to say during the ceremony. You… _do_ know what you want to say, don't you?"

Ed's gold eyes had grown as wide as the sun as the first inklings of panic began to set in. "I… uh… well…"

"You didn't write your vows yet?"

"I forgot, all right?"

"Ed, you're getting married _tomorrow_!"

"I know! You think I forgot?"

"Well, what are you gonna do?"

"I don't know… I don't know!"

"Brother… you're an idiot."

"DON'T CALL YOUR BIG BROTHER AN IDIOT!" Ed exploded, just as they reached the front porch.

Winry, who had been waiting for them, looked down at them from the top of the steps with a quizzical expression. "What are you two fighting about now?"

"Uh… nothing, Winry!" Al said quickly, shooting his brother a dark look.

"Yeah, it was nothing," said Ed nervously. "So what's for dinner?"

Shaking her head, Winry went back inside, and the brothers followed behind her, talking in agitated whispers. "But really, Brother, what are you gonna do?"

"Do I _have_ to have wedding vows?"

"Yes!" Seeing his brother on the verge of a meltdown, Al sighed. "Look, I'll help you write them after dinner, okay?"

Ed looked as though he might faint. "Thanks, Al."

Al shook his head. For all the growing that Edward had done, he was still the same crazy older brother he had always been. Some things never changed.

_But sometimes_, Al thought, smiling, as he watched Ed shovel forkful after forkful of food onto his plate, ignoring Winry's exclamations at how much he always ate, _sometimes, that's a good thing._


	4. Vows

Hey guys! Sorry it took awhile, but hey, I'm a woman of my word. So here, without further adieu... is the NEXT to last chapter of _Fullmetal Wedding_. Enjoy!

Just wanted to say, thank you to everyone who's been reviewing and adding me and my story to their favorites. A special thank you goes out to my lovely friend Sonika87, without whom this fanfic would not exist and whose praise helps keep it going. Love you all! :)

**Disclaimer**: Arakawa-sensei owns all. She also pwns all. Yay for _FMA_! :D

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**Chapter 4: Vows**

"You look good, Brother."

Ed stared into the mirror, hardly recognizing the boy – _man_ – in the reflection. A tall blonde man, in a tux, hair pulled back in a neat ponytail, shoes shined, and a red rose boutonniere tucked into his breast pocket – that was what Ed saw. Not a complete stranger, but not quite familiar, either, like a half-forgotten acquaintance.

Or an old photograph. For an instant, Ed saw his father in the mirror, saw the resemblances he'd always denied. They were more alike than he'd wanted to admit. _But we're not the same,_ he thought, as Al stepped into view beside him, dispelling the vision and bringing Ed back to the present as his reflection smiled. _I'll be a better husband and father than Hohenheim ever was. _

"I can't believe you're getting married, Ed!"

Ed chuckled nervously. "That makes two of us. You've got the rings, right?"

Al nodded. "Yep." He narrowed his eyes at his older brother. "Have you got your vows memorized?"

Ed rubbed the back of his neck, grinning sheepishly. "Uh…"

"Ed!"

"I've got it, I've got it, all right? Sheesh." Surreptitiously, he stuck his hand in his pocket, fingering the paper on which he'd scribbled the vows he and Al had come up with the night before. He'd figured it was best to keep it handy, just in case. "Is it time to head out there yet?"

"Almost. Ling and Roy went to check on the girls to see if they're ready."

Ed's lip curled. "Al, remind me again how the hell Mustang got to be one of the groomsmen?"

"Well, Ed, if you hadn't left all the planning up to Winry, maybe that wouldn't have happened. But Winry wanted Hawkeye to be a bridesmaid, and without the General there wouldn't have been anyone to walk with her down the aisle…"

"I know that, but couldn't she have gotten someone less annoying to do it?" Ed crossed his arms, knowing the point was moot and feeling all the more irritated because of it.

"She said they'd make a good couple," Al explained, just as the door opened.

"They're ready to go!" announced Ling as he breezed in, followed by a much calmer Roy. "Let's get this show on the road!"

"You ready, Fullmetal? Haven't got cold feet or anything, have you?" asked Roy, smirking.

"Of course not!" Ed snapped. "Let's do this!"

It was a backyard wedding, the aisle little more than a long white carpet flanked by beautifully crafted wooden seats Armstrong had transmuted (as he'd put it, "This technique of creating beautiful furniture from alchemy has been passed down the Armstrong family for generations!"). The area was covered by a large white tent, from which dozens of white paper lanterns hung, which would be lit during the reception, once the sun set in just a couple of hours. The seats were full to the brim with guests, and at the end of the aisle stood the altar and the priest. Not far behind him sat a small orchestra, playing soft music as the guests waited for the ceremony to begin.

After Ed took his place at the altar, the bridesmaids and groomsmen began their procession. Roy and Riza came first – Ed couldn't help but stare at Hawkeye, whom he had never seen in such feminine attire. Her hair was down for a change, and the pale pink color Winry had chosen for her bridal party's elegant dresses was about as far from Hawkeye's usual military uniform as the moon was from the earth. She walked a little stiffly, as though discomfited by the new look, but she was still pretty as a picture. Ed was not the only one staring – Roy couldn't seem to keep his eyes off her either, glancing over about once a minute, as though he was seeing her for the first time. She caught him looking once – and though Ed figured it was just his imagination, he thought that, after she glared sternly at her superior, she might have smiled, just a fraction.

As they took their places beside the altar, Havoc (who sat beside his date for the wedding, Rebecca) wolf-whistled, and when Roy glared at him, he only shrugged and nodded to the other members of the Mustang team. Braeda, Armstrong, Fuery, and Falman were all there of course, and they all grinned at Roy and Riza, shooting them meaningful looks which they knew the pair could not, at least for the moment, retaliate against.

After Roy and Riza came Ling and Paninya, who looked, if possible, even more uncomfortable than Riza in her dress; for the first time in a long time, she wished she didn't have automail legs. Unlike the other bridesmaids, who wore strappy white heels, she had worn white boots to cover her metal feet and ankles, and though she still looked lovely, she didn't feel as elegant as Riza or as cute as May. But then Ling leaned over and whispered a joke about the groom in her ear, and she laughed, her embarrassment forgotten.

Then Ling glanced past her at another woman in the crowd, and Ed saw Lan Fan, who somehow had also been wrestled (no doubt by Winry and May) into a dress, in spite of her obvious displeasure. She shifted constantly, wishing most likely for her usual ninja-like gear, and when she saw Ling staring, she scowled. But Ling only smiled and winked, and went with Paninya to take his place at the end of the aisle.

Next came the maid of honor and the best man, May and Al. They made an adorable couple, their eyes bright and their cheeks flushed as they walked arm-in-arm together, trying their best to ignore the various murmurs of approval and winks sent to them from the crowd. Ed sent his brother a wicked grin when their eyes met, and though Al rolled his eyes, he couldn't keep from smiling – Ed, for his part, was deeply pleased to see his brother so happy.

Behind them, the flower girl (who was, of course, Elicia) skipped and hummed to herself, completely out of sync with the music, as she strewed flowers all about her while traipsing along the path. She nearly dropped her basket as she waved excitedly to her mother, who sat with the others on the benches, smiling even as she wiped a tear from her eye.

After Al, May and Elicia took their places, it was time for the bridal march. Ed felt his pulse quicken as the orchestra switched songs, and he swallowed hard. _This is it._

Inside the house, Winry peeked through the curtains of the window overlooking the backyard, feeling her own throat constrict as she watched all the people outside turn their heads, waiting, she knew, for her. So many people had come to her wedding. Darius, Heinkel, Jerso and Zampano all sat together in one corner, looking larger than life in their almost too-tight suits; farther along the row, Sig Curtis sat with his arm around his wife Izumi, who looked as happy and as proud of Ed as Winry imagined Trisha would have. Next to them sat Mason, and past them Denny was smiling and nudging Maria Ross, who looked in equal parts annoyed and pleased by his presence. Olivier and Dominic had not come, but each had sent their best wishes, and Dominic's son Ridel, his wife Satella, and their baby boy were in attendance. And there in the front row sat Pinako, who for once had foregone smoking her pipe as she, too, gazed backwards down the aisle, her bespectacled eyes searching for her granddaughter.

Winry fought the urge to bite her nails, and checked her reflection in the glass of the window for the hundredth "one last time." She looked wonderful – felt wonderful, with her golden hair streaming down her back, her lightly made-up face shadowed by a delicate white veil, a strand of pearls circling her neck. Her dress, which she had picked out with May's invaluable help, was a vision of white satin, with off-the-shoulder sleeves and a ruffled skirt that shifted and swayed with her movements in all the right ways, making even her agitated pacing look elegant as she stepped back and forth behind the door.

_I can do this,_ she thought, her nerves jangling. _I can do this._ She closed her eyes, counted to ten, and then forcefully stepped out through the door before she could think twice and turn back.

She blinked furiously, the sunlight blinding her for a moment as she took her first step down the aisle, unable to see the faces of the crowd but hearing the collective intake of breath as she emerged. Fighting the urge to shade her eyes, she gripped her bouquet of white lilies firmly as she walked forward, and slowly her eyes adjusted as she stepped under the shade of the tent. Trembling, she managed a small smile at everyone, the familiar faces both comforting and overwhelming in their multitude.

Then she looked forward and saw Edward at the end of the aisle. He looked as nervous as she felt, his eyes widening considerably as they met hers. She blushed furiously, the trembling subsiding but her heartbeat growing even wilder as she watched him watching her, and she wondered what he was thinking, if he thought it was a mistake, if he had changed his mind and realized he didn't want this after all, if he was going to leave her at the altar—

Then, suddenly, he broke into a wide, cheeky grin, his golden eyes sparkling. And before she even realized it, she was beaming back at him, all joy and love and awe at how lucky they were, how very blessed that they should find one another.

Soon she was standing beside him before the altar.

"We are gathered together on this beautiful afternoon to share a joyous ceremony with Winry and Edward as they exchange vows of their everlasting love," said the priest. Winry felt a little excited shiver run down her back. _Everlasting._ That's what the whole ceremony was about, wasn't it? A promise of forever.

As the priest went on to talk about how their love would grow through the years, and how this was a wonderful start of a new family, Ed's mind began to wander – not because it was boring, or because Ed didn't care, but because his mind simply could not quite wrap itself around the enormity of the occasion. _This is big,_ he thought, gazing at Winry as she listened attentively, hanging on the priest's every word.

He had never really considered life without her; even back before he realized his feelings for her, she had just seemed to be a permanent fixture in his life, something to count on – one of the very few people he _allowed_ himself to count on, after all that he had lost. But until now, he had never given very much thought to what a life _with_ her would be like – not just a life with her in it, but a life they would share, together. From this day forward, they were husband and wife, sharing one home, one family, one world.

The vows he had written suddenly seemed lacking somehow, the words not big enough to hold everything he was feeling, everything he needed to say. And when Al handed him the ring and the priest looked at him, waiting for Ed to recite his vows to his bride, he decided on the spur of the moment to forget the words committed to memory, and say what was in his heart.

"I, Edward Elric, do take you, Winry Rockbell, to be…" He stumbled, though only a little, over the word. "Uh… to be my wife, through the good and the bad. I made you a promise, Winry, and today I renew that promise. I used to believe that equivalent exchange was pure truth… I know now that it's a lie. I promised you half of my life for half of yours… but it's not really fair, is it? The way I see it, I'm gaining a whole lot more than I'm giving. But I promise you, I'll do my best to make you happy, to never make you cry except tears of joy, and to protect you from any kind of harm. And maybe someday I can pay you back… for everything you've given me." He slipped the ring onto her finger. "If you'll let me."

His eyes on Winry, he didn't see the amazement in Al's eyes as he listened to his big brother speak, his initial concern upon hearing Ed's improvised words transformed into pride – and amusement. _Leave it to Ed to turn it into some kind of alchemy metaphor,_ he thought, grinning.

The priest looked at Ed, waiting to see if he would say any more.

"Uh… yeah. That's it," Ed muttered, suddenly flustered again.

The priest turned to Winry as Al handed her the other ring. "And you, Miss Rockbell?"

"I…" She swallowed, for a moment having difficulty remembering the lines she had labored over herself. "I, Winry Rockbell, do take you, Edward Elric, to be my husband, my partner in life and my one true love…" She blushed again, but managed to continue. "I promise to be there for you when you are home, and to leave a light in the window when you're gone, to lead you back to me. I promise to share the tears as well as the laughter, and face the dark as well as the light…" She wavered for a moment, then looked into his eyes again and smiled, her voice growing stronger. "And most of all, as both your wife _and_ your automail mechanic, I promise to always be there to keep you standing tall, to keep you moving forward on two strong legs… for the rest of our lives."

Ed stared at her, his heart unexpectedly touched, as she slipped the ring onto his finger. She had said just the right words… it was all exactly what he needed to hear.

Wrapped up in their own joy, neither noticed the looks of amusement and derision the other members of the bridal party were sending each other. "Did they really just talk about alchemy and automail in their _wedding vows_?" May exclaimed in a whisper.

Al shook his head, his lips trembling as he held back a laugh. "We should have seen this coming," he managed to reply. "Knowing those two, could we have expected any less?"

Meanwhile, the priest, his own eyebrow raised slightly at the couples' unusual vows, said, "Then, by the power vested in me, I pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Ed's eyes widened. "In front of all these people?"

Winry glanced sideways at all the eyes watching them, and turned a bright shade of red. "Uh, well, yeah, we're supposed to…" she said in a small voice.

"C'mon Ed, just kiss her already!" called Havoc from the crowd.

Roy shot him a look, hiding his own amusement behind a smirk. "What's the matter, Edward? Too immature to kiss your wife at your own wedding?"

Ed blinked – and grinned, taking the challenge. "You wish!" Before Winry could react, he yanked her towards himself and kissed her full on the mouth. As the crowd whistled and laughed and cheered, they held each other, and for a moment, forgot their awkwardness as they shared their first embrace as husband and wife.

"Don't tell me you did that just because of the General," Winry said in a low voice when they parted, giving him a dangerous look.

Ed snorted. "As if. That was all for me."

She raised her eyebrows, surprised by his answer. "E-Ed…"

"Time for food!" Ling called out loudly, grinning from ear to ear. "Reception time! Al, hurry up!"

"Better get out of the way," said Ed, and taking Winry's hand, pulled him after her to run the gambit down the aisle, past the guests as they rose from their seats to congratulate the newlyweds. Outside of the tent, Ed and Winry were surrounded, pulled into more hugs and kisses and handshakes and congratulatory wishes than they could count, or even take in.

Meanwhile, Al stood at the center of the tent, and, taking his position, clapped his hands together. He glanced up, and saw Ed watching. He felt a pang of sympathy for his brother, who once upon a time could have taken care of the transmutation himself, but Ed only smiled and inclined his head.

Kneeling, Al pressed his hands into the ground, and watched as the altar transformed into a long, narrow table for the bridal party to sit at, while the benches became round tables with chairs for the rest of the guests. The fabric of the "aisle" was transformed into bouquets of faux white roses, which he and May then laid down on the center of each table. As Pinako, Izumi, Sig and Armstrong went inside to bring out the feast of food that had been prepared for the occasion, the guests began to take their seats, and the wedding party took their places at the long table.

Once everyone was settled down with their plates and their drinks (Pinako and Lan Fan came to join the others at the long table), everyone started to turn their attention to Al, who, as the best man, was expected to toast the bride and groom. Rising, he held his glass up high. "To my brother and my new sister-in-law," he began. "You guys have always been there for me, and for each other, for as long as I can remember. A lot has happened since we first started out together as kids… a lot has changed. Winry, you became the best automail mechanic I've ever known, and you bake the best apple-pies in the world." Winry beamed. "And Ed… You grew. Finally."

"What was that?"

"We've _all_ grown up a lot since then," Al continued, without batting an eye. "We've lost a lot, too… but not each other. We still have that… I hope we always have that. And now you two are finally together, and even if it took _way_ longer than it should have" – here, both bride and groom glared at Al – "it's always better late than never, I guess. I wish you both the best… you deserve it, and each other!" He grinned at them, the impish gleam in his eyes making them wonder how much of a compliment that last part really was.

"To Ed and Winry!" Ling called out, eager to end the toast and get to the food part of the reception.

"To Ed and Winry!" Following the clink of glasses, everyone took a sip of their champagne, and dove into the feast set out before them. Ed himself sipped cautiously at his champagne, wary of anything with alcohol in it after his experience with it at his bachelor party, but thoroughly enjoyed the food. Even now that Al had his own body back, Ed still had quite a healthy appetite.

After the food came the dancing – which Ed, unfortunately, had all but forgotten about. When the band began to play, Winry looked to him expectantly, and he looked back at her blankly. "What?"

She blinked. "Ed, this is when the dancing starts."

"Oh." He looked around, waiting for the guests to start rising and going to the open space underneath the middle of the tent that would serve as a makeshift dance floor. When no one rose, he simply looked more confused. "What are they waiting for?"

"You, stupid!" hissed May, coming to Winry's rescue. "Ed, you and Winry have to share the first dance. It's tradition!"

"What?" Ed goggled at them. "But I…"

"Ed, don't tell me you _forgot_," Al moaned. "I reminded you last night, weren't you listening?"

"Nice work, Fullmetal."

"Shut up, you!"

"ED!" Winry's sharp command had everyone shutting up and looking at her. Her cheeks were flushed, but her lips were pressed together tightly in aggravation. "Are you going to dance with me or not?"

"I, uh…" But before he could fully form a protest, Al and May had pushed him out of his seat, and somehow he found himself suddenly standing with Winry at the center of the tent. Hesitantly, he put his arms around her waist, his cheeks turning crimson as Winry shyly slid her arms around his neck. "Winry… I still don't know how to dance," he whispered, mortified. "What do I do?"

Her initial irritation with him faded, his embarrassment too endearing to resist smiling at. "It's not hard… it's just a slow dance," she whispered back. "Mostly we just move back and forth."

Ed nodded, and together they began to sway to the music, tentatively at first, then growing more comfortable as they warmed to each other and to the motion. There were no fancy moves, no twirls or low dips, but they made a sweet couple, moving together on the grass beneath the soft glow of the lanterns. As the end of the song drew near, Ed and Winry heard a quiet sort of tinkling sound, growing louder and louder as more guests joined in – glancing out at them, Ed saw the sound was caused by the clinking of forks against champagne glasses. "What are they doing?"

"I… I think they want us to kiss," Winry mumbled, blushing, as they slowly came to a stop.

He paused, looking down at her. Part of him wanted to tell whoever started the clinking to go straight to hell (later, he would learn Havoc was the culprit), but another part of him… didn't really mind. After a long moment, he leaned forward and kissed her softly. When they parted, she stared up at him, wide-eyed, surprised that he had actually done it.

"You all happy now?" he shouted out to the crowd, making Winry roll her eyes. He tried to look angry, but barely managed a scowl before he broke into a wide grin as the others clapped and cheered. The band struck up a new, faster tune, and the rest of the guests began to flood onto the dance floor as Ed and Winry made their way back to their table. "Well, that wasn't so bad," he said to her as they sat down, and kicked back, propping his feet up onto the table and looking pleased with himself (or perhaps just grateful to no longer be in the spotlight).

Winry shook her head, hiding a smile. "You're hopeless."

"Huh?"

She looked at the honest confusion on his face, and couldn't help but laugh. "Never mind, Ed. Never mind."

For awhile they simply sat together, talking now and then as they watched the others dance. Al and May were out on the floor for most of the songs, smiling into each other's eyes, and Sig and Izumi Curtis, despite their obvious large difference in size, still somehow managed to move gracefully together, their expressions tranquil for once, and happy. Winry nudged Ed once, grinning, and pointed out to the crowd; following her finger, Ed saw, to his amazement, Roy dancing with Riza in the farthest corner of the tent, where clearly they hoped no one would notice them. Ling, though Ed would never figure out how, somehow convinced Lan Fan to take one turn with him on the floor, though she looked like she would rather have jumped off a bridge than agree. Havoc, not yet able to use his legs well enough to dance, sat at one of the tables with his arm around Rebecca, looking pleased with himself even as she berated him for being too much of a chicken to even attempt to get out on the floor. Looking past them, Winry giggled as she spotted poor Denny Brosh trying to get Maria Ross to accept a dance with him; Maria watched him with an eyebrow raised and a clearly unreceptive look on her face.

The rest of the night passed them by in a blur. The cutting of the cake, of course, had been disastrous – somehow, both Ed and Winry had ended up with more of it on their _faces_ than in their stomachs – and throwing the bouquet had nearly ended in a massacre (in the end, May managed to get a hold of it, although by then it was more stems than flowers). Ed had nearly had a conniption when he'd had to pull off Winry's garter to throw it to the crowd, and both all but died of heart attacks when it was none other than Ling who caught it.

Afterwards followed more congratulations, well-wishings, and finally, farewells, as one by one the guests began to leave, either for home or for the hotel rooms they had rented for the night. It was bittersweet to watch them go; it was not often one saw so many friends gathered together and (generally) getting along, all in the same place. But nothing lasts forever, and it was growing late; it was time to go home.

After the guests had left, the only ones still left in the house were Pinako, Winry, Ed, Al, Ling, and May. Since it was so late, the plan was to spend the night and then head out in the morning – Ling, Al, and May were going back to Xing, and Ed and Winry were going off to their honeymoon. However, where exactly they were honeymooning was still unknown to Winry.

"Ed," said Winry, once the others had gone off to bed, leaving them alone together, "I know you said it was a surprise, but you have to tell me before we leave or I won't know what to pack!"

Ed rolled his eyes. "Just pack whatever you want. Bring a jacket if it's cold, and some warm-weather clothes in case it's not, and you're covered."

"_Ed_!" Winry protested. "I'm not you, I don't wear the same damn clothes every day! C'mon, just tell me!"

"You'll figure it out soon enough anyway."

"Ed, I need to pack _tonight_!"

"I told you, just get whatever you want…"

"But I want to know where I'm going! You can't expect me to just grab anything and hope I'm prepared!"

"It's a _surprise_, Winry, do you even know the meaning of the word?"

"EDWARD!"

"FINE!" Ed threw up his hands exasperatedly. "We're going back to Xing with Al, May, and Ling, all right? Jeez, this is what I get for trying to give you a nice surprise…" Ed shook his head, irritated.

Winry stared. "We're going to spend our honeymoon… with…"

"We're not _staying_ with them!" Ed exclaimed, horrified just by the idea of it. "We're just taking the same train. Since Ling's the emperor and all, he's paying for us to stay in the best hotel they've got, for a whole month. I know you've never been there, and since it's the only country we're on good terms with at the moment, I figured it was our best option."

Winry tilted her head. "Ed…" Suddenly something occurred to her, and she narrowed her eyes. "This isn't just an excuse for you to study alkahestry firsthand like Al, is it?"

Ed glared at her. "No, Winry. I figured you might like to go somewhere new, that's all. I just wanted to surprise you. Lot of good that did me," he added under his breath.

Winry's expression turned from wary to sheepish. "Oh."

Ed shook his head and yawned. "Well, now you know where we're going, so you can pack whatever you want. I'm going to bed." He turned, ready to walk away until a single syllable stopped him in his tracks.

"Ed." He turned around to see her smiling at him, her eyes glistening. "That's really sweet. I'm… Sorry I ruined your surprise." She hung her head, feeling foolish and stupid.

Ed sighed and walked over to her, putting his hands on her shoulders. "It's fine. Hey, it's probably better this way anyway – at least now you can't blame me if you pack the wrong things."

She smiled a little, looking up at him. "Now I know what kind of automail parts to bring with me if you need maintenance while we're there."

_Oh._ It was Ed's turn to feel like an idiot now. He'd thought she wanted to know where they were going so that she would know what to wear; it hadn't occurred to him that she'd been thinking of what sort of automail would be best suited to whatever climate they were heading off to. "Yeah, good point."

"You idiot, you thought I was just being a stupid girl, didn't you?" she asked, reading his mind. "I told you, didn't I? I may be your wife, but I'm still your mechanic – _someone's_ gotta look out for you."

Ed stared at her, one word in particular sticking out from the rest. _My… wife._ "Yeah," he agreed, rubbing the back of his neck as he looked away. "I guess."

"Hey, Ed?"

"Yeah?"

She beamed at him. "We're married. _Married_, can you believe it?"

He looked at the amazement on her face, and couldn't help laughing. "Not yet," he answered.

Laughing as well, she threw her arms around him, and they stood like that, together in the darkened kitchen, holding each other tightly, neither able to believe that anyone else in the world could possibly be as happy as they were in that moment.


	5. Epilogue

All right, folks, here it is: the final chapter. It's been a relatively short, yet unexpectedly long, journey... but wonderful all the way. I'm so glad I got the chance to do this, both as my first mainly Ed-centric fic and also as a truly heartfelt tribute to my first and favorite anime, _Fullmetal Alchemist_, which will always hold a special place in my heart. The series may be over, but the story lives on!

As always, I cannot thank my readers enough for their continued support, it's lovely to know my writing makes you smile (and cry - in all the best ways I hope!). I love you guys! Also I cannot thank Arakawa enough for making the story come alive in the first place, and my heart and soul go out to the fantastic Vic Mignogna, not only for being Edward's voice but for being the awesome kind of person I can only hope to be one day, if I ever have fans like he does. And of course, much love to the one and only **Sonika87**, without whom the tribute trilogy of which this fanfic is a part of would not exist. I love you, my friend! :)

Speaking of Sonika... I'm her current editor/beta reader, but I have no time on my hands these days. SO, if anyone would like to help her out with editing her stories, PLEASE CONTACT ONE OF US ASAP! Thanks to anyone who responds! :)

Be sure to check **Sonika87**'s profile for the pending **sequel**, the final chapter in the trilogy. And in the meantime, check out her FMA Songfic collection as well - and please, please, please review!

Oh, and a quick shout-out to all my fellow **Risembool Rangers** out there... you guys are awesome! RED DAWN! :D

And now, without further adieu... the end. I hope I lived up to all of your expectations. :)

**Disclaimer**: I own none of this, but you all know that by now. :P

* * *

**Chapter 5: Epilogue**

Edward whistled to himself as he strolled down the road, heading for home. It had been four months since he and Winry had moved into their new house in Rush Valley; the idea of actually living in the automail capital of Amestris was still a bit odd to get used to, but it was getting easier. The thought of his wife waiting for him there (as well as a freshly baked apple pie, with any luck) helped him to adjust.

Ed smiled to himself as he fingered the trinket he'd bought her earlier. It was nothing much, just an automail part that supposedly had a new, innovative design (it all looked the same to Ed, so he'd had to take the man's word for it), but he knew Winry would be excited over it, anyway. It wasn't for a special occasion, just something he'd spotted and purchased on the spur of the moment while out on a walk.

He could see his house in his mind's eye even before he rounded the last corner on the way there. It was a modest house, big enough for a small family but small enough not to be a nightmare to clean. The outer walls were eggshell white, a refreshingly clean color (or lack thereof) in the midst of the bright and somewhat touristy atmosphere of the rest of Rush Valley; the roof (on Ed's insistence) was paneled with red shingles. It was somewhat narrow, but two stories tall, and nicely furnished with minor aesthetic decorations, like the arch-shaped windows with silver siding, or the carving of a tree in the wood of the front door which reminded Winry of apple trees, and Ed of the tree of life. The house had been a joint wedding gift from Al and Roy's military gang, all of whom had chipped in to buy the lot and materials, and to build the main frame of the house – the rest had been taken care of by Al and Armstrong using alchemy.

When he turned the corner, however, it was not the beauty of the house that had Edward stopping dead in his tracks – it was the plume of smoke rising from within.

For a nanosecond, he froze, unable to move or breathe. _Fire?_ There was only time to think that single, terrifying word before his legs began to work again, his feet pounding against the ground as he raced across the distance between himself and his home – and his wife.

"Winry? WINRY!" he yelled as he drew near, craning his neck to try and see the source of the fire through the windows. He saw nothing but the smoke, and for a moment began to panic when he heard no answer. "WINRY?"

Then – "Ed?" Winry's face appeared in the window just as Ed was stumbling over the last few steps to the door; surprised by her sudden appearance, he nearly lost his footing as he skidded to a stop.

"Winry! Are you all right? Why are you still in the house?" Without waiting for an answer, he yanked the door open and headed inside, coughing as he took a deep breath of smoky air. "WINRY!"

"Ed, calm down!" Through the haze of smoke (which was nowhere as thick as he'd first imagined – in fact it thinned right before his eyes as it wafted out the open door), he saw Winry rushing from window to window, opening each to let the fresh air in. "I'm fine, the house is fine, I just…"

"What happened?"

"I was baking, and…" She looked away, thoroughly embarrassed. "I was making a pie, but I left it in too long. Everything's fine though – well, except the pie…" she sighed, and glanced at the kitchen sink, where he saw a lump of charcoal that, with a stretch of the imagination, may possibly have once been an apple pie. "Nothing else got burned. But could you help me get the rest of the windows open?"

Rather than help, Ed stood, befuddled, in the middle of the room, looking around as if he had suddenly been dropped into an alternate dimension. "There's no fire?"

"No, Ed, weren't you listening? Everything's fine. Sorry for making you worry," she added, her tone softening a little when she saw how pale he looked. "You okay?"

He heaved a sigh, and collapsed in a chair at the kitchen table, pressing his forehead into his palm and running a hand through his blonde bangs. "Jeez, Winry, don't scare me like that."

"I said sorry," she mumbled, opening the last of the windows. She crossed the room to stand near him, looking pensive. "Uh… how was your walk?"

He blinked, remembering his present for her, and cursed the timing. Somehow handing it to her right after making such a scene just wasn't very appealing; still, at least it would make her feel better about the whole thing. The corners of his mouth twitching wryly, he reached into his pocket and held out the small box to her.

She took it, her eyes wide. "Ed, what's this?"

"I got you something on the way back. Just open it."

She turned it over and over in her hands, looking nervous. "But why?"

"I didn't know I needed a reason." He took another look at her then, frowning as he noticed how pale her own face was; perhaps the incident with the pie had frightened her more than she let on. "You okay? You don't look so good."

"Oh! Uh…" She fumbled, nearly dropping the box, as though he'd hit a nerve – though he couldn't for the life of him figure out what he'd said to cause such a reaction. "No, I'm fine, really, I'm good, just a little shaken I guess. Ha ha." She smiled quickly and worked on opening the box.

"Winry…"

"Oh, Ed, is this the new part everyone's been talking about?" For a moment, whatever was bothering her was forgotten as she appraised the automail, gazing at it with as much glee as most girls reserved for diamond rings or pearl necklaces. "Oh, Ed, it's wonderful, thank you! I can't wait to take it apart and see how it was made!" All smiles now, she leaned down and gave him a quick kiss before twirling about with the part, overcome with joy.

"Uh, Winry..." Ed rolled his eyes when she didn't reply. "WINRY!"

"What?" She hummed as she put the gift back in the box, placing it on the table until she could take a better look at it later in her workshop.

Ed narrowed his eyes. "You're hiding something, aren't you?"

Winry froze, her hand still hovering over the box and her expression comparable to that of a deer caught in headlights. "Uh… wh-why would you…"

"You're not exactly good at hiding it," he said dryly. "So come on, what is it? You know you're going to tell me eventually, so you might as well get it over with."

"I… uh… well…" she stuttered, her face turning crimson. "I… that is… we…"

Ed eyed her skeptically. This obviously wasn't about the pie; even Winry wasn't foolish enough to get this jumpy about something so simple as that. So what was she trying to tell him? "You, we, what?"

"I… well, you see… I'm…"

"Well? Spit it out, Winry!"

"I'M PREGNANT!" she yelped, and covered her burning face with trembling hands. "There, I said it! Ohmygosh, it's really true! I'm… pregnant." The last syllable ended on a squeak.

Edward, for his part, all but felt his jaw hit the floor in shock. "You're… you're WHAT?"

"Oh, Ed, I dunno, I just had this feeling, and I've had it for awhile and I couldn't shake it, like something was, I dunno, different – so I went to the doctor earlier while you were out, he was in town anyway checking on Satella and Ridel and their baby, so I went to see him to ask him to check if maybe… and I was! I mean, I am! Pregnant, that is. Ed, I'm pregnant!" She spoke so quickly and in such a high pitch, it was hard for Ed to make out all of the words – but he caught enough to get the drift.

Actually comprehending it, however, was a much more difficult task.

"You're… you're…" Ed shook his head. "Are you sure?"

"Ed, he's a doctor, it's his _job_ to know these things for sure. Yes, I'm sure." Her cheeks were still red, but she was steadier now, her hands folded in front of her as she watched his reaction carefully. "Ed… are you okay?"

"I… I can't believe it. You're actually… pregnant." He paused. "How the hell did that happen?"

Winry raised an eyebrow at him. "Seriously, Ed, do I really need to explain this to you?"

"Gahhh, that's not what I meant and you know it! I mean… that is…" He stared at her, at her stomach, as though by looking alone he could see the child growing within her. "We're going to have a kid."

Winry felt her heart begin to plummet, her stomach churning as she clamped her hands together tightly, trying not to panic. "Ed…"

"This is amazing!" All of a sudden, his face was lit by a smile as bright as the daylight outside, his golden eyes shining brighter still as he leapt up out of his chair and beamed at her, all wonder and delight. "Winry, we're going to have a kid! This is wonderful!"

Winry ogled him, thrown off by his abrupt mood swing. "You're… you're not upset?"

"Upset? No way! Winry, this is great!" Moving past her, he pulled her with him away from the table and hugged her tightly, spinning her around as he celebrated the news. She giggled as he cheered. "We're going to have a family, a real family of our own now!" After a few moments, he slowed, his arms still around her but his voice quieter, more reverent, as he realized, "I'm going to be a father."

She nodded, still having trouble wrapping her own mind around it. "I'm going to be a mother," she breathed.

He looked at her, his smile fading a little as worry crept back into his voice. "I'm… I'm going to be a _father_."

He didn't have to say any more for Winry to know what he was thinking. She smiled at him, placing a hand on his cheek. "And you're going to be great at it. I just know it."

He blinked, then grinned. "Yeah, you're right." He hugged her again, pressing his cheek against her hair as she hugged him back. He chuckled a little to himself.

"What's so funny?"

"It's nothing." He pulled back to smile at her. "It's just… I thought I was going to surprise _you_ when I got home."

They looked at each other, and laughed.


End file.
